Richard Edmund Chavez

Richard Edmund Chavez, 88, the Chavez-Stoltz family patriarch, passed away on December 24, 2023, at home with his adopted nephew and long-term caregiver Juan Cordova Jr., at his side. Richard was a life-long El Paso resident who graduated from Austin High School in 1954.

In the 1950’s, Richard co-founded RC & RC Candies & Sundries, distributors of products to local grocery stores. He worked at Furrs’ El Paso Wholesale Warehouse, ASARCO, Southwestern Industrial & Riggers, Frontier Industrial, Bowen Machine & Fabrication, Inc., and retired from Phelps Dodge Refinery. His last and favorite employment was as a “Role-Player” for the Detainee Operations Training at Taskforce Outlaw run by the U.S. Army in support of Operation’s Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The activity was located at McGreggor Range in New Mexico. The training was in preparation for soldiers, sailors and airmen being deployed to facilities located in Iraq and other locations. He was especially grateful to his “Guardian Angel”, Fred Cruz for all his help in the 12-hour shifts at the Tatitlek Corporation Civilian on Battle Scenarios (COBS) Role Player site for 3 years when Richard was in his 70’s. Knowing our Richard, he would have gotten the highest award for overacting, according to his stories.

Richard will be remembered for his great sense of humor, his keeping our mother’s traditions alive which included taking on the major responsibility of putting flowers on the graves of our family members and friends, his visiting those in the hospital and participating in their Rosaries. He passionately kept the family together by communicating with everyone. He adapted to technology in early 2000 and learned to use the cell phone being the first of his siblings to own one. He kept up with newer versions, eventually becoming an accomplished texter.

Richard continued to keep our mom’s annual Christmas tradition by giving out fruit cakes to friends and family. He called it “The gift that keeps on giving…. if you don’t like it, give it away to someone else!” He was able to accomplish this tradition one more time this year despite his failing health.

When reminiscing about the past he would talk about seeing cowboys guiding cattle drives coming from the Southern Pacific railroad yard, where our father worked, passing near our home on the way to the Peyton Packing Company. He described climbing up and down Mt. Franklin, an all-day dangerous hike, going up “Sugar Loaf” Mountain in northeast El Paso and hunting jack rabbits in the sandy desert hills of “far east” El Paso, now the Bassett Center area. He and his brother Dennis were pin setters at the 5 Points, Alameda and White Elephant bowling alleys. They perched up between the lanes, pins flying all over them. Then they would manually retrieve the pins, placing them in a basket and setting them up for the next bowling ball to come barreling down again.

Richard grew up in the era of Zoot Suiters and sometimes spoke the lingo. He went deer hunting at a ranch in the Presidio/Marfa area. He participated in the Spanish tradition of serenading mothers from dusk until dawn known as “Dando Gallo.” One of his most memorable events was attending an impromptu jazz jam session performed by then unknown Earl Bostic at an establishment on Alameda Street near Cebada Street. He grew up with and loved big band music, popular songs of the Hit Parade, Rock & Roll, the romantic boleros of the different “trios” and Mex-Tex music.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents Felix Chavez Sr. and Maybelle Stoltz Chavez, his brothers Felix Chavez Jr. and Peter Chavez, his maternal grandparents Louis J. Stoltz and Apolonia Lujan Stoltz, and his paternal grandparents, Simon Chavez and Simona Balderas Chavez. Richard is survived by his children Maybelle Chavez and Luis (Alex) Chavez, his grandchildren Jimmy (Devon) Hess-Dunafin, Christopher and Ryanne Riddle, Luis Chavez Jr., Miranda and Nathan Chavez, his brother Dennis Chavez, his sisters Margaret (James) Schoenfelder and Arlene Hernando, his sisters in-law Gloria Chavez and Martha Chavez and countless cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

The family wishes to thank Hospice for their support and an enormous gratitude to one of his caregivers, Josefina Jacquez, for the highly professional caregiving that she afforded Richard. Her care made his remaining time here extra special and worthwhile. He loved animals, especially cats, and in lieu of flowers, he requested donations be made to Friends of Animals.

Visitation will be held at the Hillcrest Funeral Home, 1060 N. Carolina Dr, on January 17, 5 to 9 PM with a Rosary at 7 PM. A funeral mass will be held at St. Raphael church, 2301 Zanzibar at 12 PM on January 18 with burial at Evergreen East Cemetery, 12400 East Montana, at 1:30 PM.